Gezicht op het Haarlemmerplein te Amsterdam c. 1886 - 1903

George Hendrik Breitner sketched this view of the Haarlemmerplein in Amsterdam with a pencil on paper. The composition, spread across two pages, is an intriguing study in contrasts and perspectives. On the left, loose, gestural lines capture what seems like a fleeting impression of figures and street elements, while on the right, we see a more structured rendering of buildings, with careful attention to architectural detail. The contrast in the sketch embodies the tension between the objective reality of the urban landscape and the subjective experience of viewing it. Breitner destabilizes traditional landscape drawings with a unique approach to spatial representation. The juxtaposition of the abstract and the representational invites us to consider the act of seeing itself, and the role of the artist in translating the world onto paper. It questions the very nature of perception and representation.